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Welcome to the MylastDel Wiki ''PEER OBSERVATION Classroom observation can take different forms. The two most common are: #Summative observation, in which another teacher or an administrator observes the class. The purpose for this is evaluative and may result a rating of some kind. #And, formative observation, in which two teachers, or “peers,” do a “friendly” observation of each other’s classes. The purpose is to improve teaching practices and to engage in a systematic form of professional development. The focus in this module is on formative or peer observation. Formative observation can benefit both the observed teacher and the teacher doing the observation. In order to do so, it must be carefully organized. We will follow a teachers through the three phases of a successful observation: *First, preparing for the observation. *Then, observing in the classroom. *And, finally, the post-observation debriefing. · ''' '''''Teachers Observing Teachers: Everybody Benefits · Administrators benefit from: · Teachers benefit from: · The school benefits from: thumb|right|300pxshaping the way we teach video · "Teachers Observing Teachers" Models {C}{C}{C}A variety of approaches to teacher observation support professional growth and student achievement. The following are several of those methods: Lesson Study -- In this three-pronged approach designed by Japanese educators, teachers collaboratively develop a lesson, observe it being taught to students, and then discuss and refine it. Peer Coaching -- In this non-evaluative professional development strategy, educators work together to discuss and share teaching practices, observe each other's classrooms, provide mutual support, and, in the end, enhance teaching to enrich student learning. Cognitive Coaching -- Teachers are taught specific skills that involve asking questions so that the teacher observed is given the opportunity to process learning associated with teaching the lesson. Critical Friends Group (CFG) -- This program provides time and structure in a teacher's schedule for professional growth linked to student learning. Each CFG is composed of eight to 12 teachers and administrators, under the guidance of at least one coach, who meet regularly to develop collaborative skills, reflect on their teaching practices, and look at student work. Learning Walk -- created by the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, is a process that invites participants to visit several classrooms to look at student work and classroom artifacts and to talk with students and teachers. Participants then review what they have learned in the classroom by making factual statements and posing questions about the observations. The end result is that teachers become more reflective about their teaching practices. Professional development is always linked to The Learning Walks. . 'Think about the advantages and disadvantages of tying to initiate a peer observation process in any school setting . Consider these aspects:' *Areas that could benefit for such process *Reaction and possible support from your administration *Teacher reaction, both positive and negative *Available resources *Ways to overcome limitations or areas of difficulty Initiating ''a peer observation inside the classroom can be really helpful for teachers who want to make their students feel they have the control over their learning process; it is also helpful to raise students confidence and independence while being at school. On the other hand, we can say that peer correction is very controversial because some students or most students probably will not understand and deal with the idea of being corrected by their classmates instead of the teacher. ''ADVANTAGES: 1. Teachers can show their students that we all make mistakes: '''if the teacher starts using peer correction he/she is saying "hey we are not perfect and we can improve of learning if we are corrected and also if we correct" The teacher is sending this important message to his/her students and at the same time is teaching them a really important value which is humility. Also, by doing this activity, the students will learn to respect and trust each other; they will feel free and comfortable in the environment they will create by themselves while being in this activity. '2. Students learn a lot from each other: 'while teaching a class, this becomes a really important tool we can use as teachers. Students have the opportunity to be encouraged and also corrected by someone who faces the same problems, situations and has the same limits also. They are certainly interested and sometimes worried on how they are seen by their peers or classmates so that means that they will listen to their peer without hesitation; this situation gives the teacher the opportunity to lead student and teach them how they can share knowledge and correct each in a really constructive way. They will always remember what they learn from their classmates and hopefuly will put this into practice in the near future!! '3. Students can provide feedback to each other in a really constructive way':'' a teacher must give feedback to his/her students. What comes to our minds when we hear the word feedback is the idea of saying some random words to our students and that is it! if we think that way we are depriving them from the opportunity to learn from their own mistakes. In this case, we have to provide them with feedback; in the first place they will provide feedback to each other and then the teacher will provide feedback to every individual; this is a really personal way of showing that we care about our students and their improvements in their learning process. ''4. Teachers can be observed also: ''as we know teachers practice peer observation with their collegues also, but if we want to make a special connection with our students, we should try this new way of peer observation. The teacher should be included in the peer observation of the class, to be ethical he/she should spent time with every peer in the classroom so that at the end everyone has something to say about the teacher performance in the activity, but remember that the center of the classroom are the students and their priorities are above of the teacher's; that's why, we as teachers can be observed and given feedback to is we have plenty of time to do this activity. Even though it is tiring,it is worth enough to do it!!! ''5. Peer observation can be fun: '' as we said before, students can learn many things from each other, and peer observation takes a really important part in this situation. As students get comfortable with the activity they are performing, they are able to be receptive in learning new things from their classmates or peers. They can learn more if they think they are playing or having fun when they are actually learning.Our students will learn that learning can be fun if we make it fun, and also they will learn to share and work as peer and also group. '''''DISADVANTAGES: 1. It is difficult for the teacher to monitore everybody: the teacher has to monitore every peer; it is a neccesity to do this. This practice takes a lot of time and at the end the teacher is not really sure if he/she has monitored everyone;also, the teacher cannot be sure if everyone has learned at the same speed or if he/she has given the same level of attention to every single student. This represents a great issue he/she must be aware of while performing this activity because if it is not the case the students will feel left out and also will have a sensation of the teacher's lack of care. 2. The students may feel upset when beign corrected by their classmates: some students are so proud that they will get really upset while being corrected by other person such as their classmates. The teacher has the task of explaining to the students the purpose of this activity and also of encouraging them to feel free to make mistakes because we all aren't perfect so that means we all make mistakes. Most of these stigmatized students are afraid of making mistakes; this shows they don't want to be seen as weak people or as fools. At this age, they all behave as they knew it all, and a peer observation activity may make them feel uncomfortable and stressed. ''3. The teacher may not be totally prepared to do peer obsevation: ''there may happen that the teacher or probably the students are not prepared for doing this activity. The students may not understand which is the purpose of doing this if the teacher does not give clear directions and good explanations about it. This situation may lead all of them into confusion or misunderstandings; this certainly will provoque the wrong results that were not stated for this important activity. The students may feel that the teacher is lazy and does not care about their learning process if the rules and keys of the activity are not pointed out while giving directions. Latest activity Category:Browse